Geneva (AFP) – Sandra Delpierre, head of the costume workshops at the Grand-Théâtre de Genève, touches with her hand a long blue and white fur cape, angel wings, golden dresses... while weaving between racks loaded with thousands of stage outfits.

Published on: 02/12/2026 - 2:11 p.m.

At a time when parties and costume evenings inspired by the television series Bridgerton are all the rage, the Geneva opera, the Grand-Théâtre, is selling off half of its stock: some 15,000 costumes, accessories and shoes, from major opera and choreographic productions.

“There are really treasures to be found,” assures Sandra Delpierre, who is ecstatic at the thousands of clothes – tutus, shirts, ruffs, dresses, leotards, etc. – lined up on dozens of racks in a large warehouse located near Geneva.

She shows here and there large animal heads, a dress made for Handel's opera "Alcina" embellished with embroidery and a ruched at the bottom of the skirt, or even a costume inspired by crinolines but which takes them in a fanciful way with neoprene.

Historical, popular and ultra-modern costumes come together. From the valet to the duchess, from the three-piece suit to the Roaring Twenties, “there is something for everyone”, assures the Grand-Théâtre.

The sales will take place on February 14 and 15, with a time slot intended for professionals.

Less than 10 euros

Prices range from 5 to 500 Swiss francs (from 5.45 euros to 545 euros). The highlight of the sale climbs to 995 Swiss francs because the work of Miruna Boruzescu, a renowned Romanian costume designer, is "monumental", explains to AFP Marianne Perreau, responsible for sorting, setting up and selling.

The costume, available in several copies but only one of which is on sale, was worn by dancers from the opera "JJR (citizen of Geneva)", dedicated to the life and work of Jean-Jacques Rousseau and directed by the Canadian Robert Carsen.

“We really combine everything that can make a remarkable costume,” she says, showing a very heavy green costume evoking a luxurious plant creature, entirely composed of green leaves of fabric superimposed, embroidered with gold thread and decorated with peacock feathers.

“Each petal is made from a different fabric” and “topstitched to give the impression of a rib,” continues Ms. Perreau.

This costume is composed of a bodice placed on a boned skirt, to which a Virtugadin (a sort of sausage) has been added to give volume to the hips.

A little further on, Ms. Perreau reveals a pale green costume, made by Ezio Toffolutti for one of the little fairies from William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream". Several models are on sale for children, in yellow or gray.

“These are Renaissance costumes”, with “breeches” and “little doublet”, which the costume designer “reworked in patina” to make them age artificially, shows Ms. Perreau.

Months of sorting

After months of sorting and preparation, each costume has its label which references the production, the role and the name of the performer who wore it. The oldest costumes date from the 1980s.

“A stock needs to rotate, to be renewed, to be brought up to date. So we are obliged to get rid of part of our heritage to be able to accommodate other productions,” explains Sandra Delpierre.

She regrets that the Grand-Théâtre is selling off certain pieces due to limited storage space: “We are forced to make a tough choice.”

Barely worn, some costumes are in very good condition. Others have aged a little.

But this sale will have something to delight potential buyers, whether independent companies or performing arts institutions, but also collectors, individuals on the lookout for a costume or “people who dress in a more eccentric way and want to find a fairly exceptional piece for their wardrobe,” she says.

Like extravagant birds in tailcoat costumes by Greek director and costume designer Yannis Kokkos, with a false rounded body decorated with real feathers, colored pink.

© 2026 AFP

The content you are trying to access does not exist or is no longer available.